As a Brother to His Sister
by broadwaybear
Summary: A young Eomer is excited by the thought of a new baby brother, and is bitterly disappointed when his new sibling turns out to be a girl. Their first meeting, however, may change his mind. 2nd chap: How far will Eomer go to be allowed to play with Eowyn?
1. Chapter 1

As a Brother to His Sister

A small boy creeps down a long hallway, being very careful not to make any of the wooden floors creak. Sticking close to the wall the blonde haired child freezes, hearing voices coming from around the corner, he breathes again only when he is sure the voices have passed without coming down his hallway for there is nowhere to hide.

The hour is late and Eomer was sent to bed a long while ago, but who could sleep knowing his first sibling was soon to enter the world? Eomer is still not entirely sure about 'birth' no one had truly explained it to him and the midwife had come just after the midday meal that was when they said his mother had started 'giving birth'. And that worried Eomer. Was it supposed to take this long? It seemed a horribly long wait for such a small thing, but every time he tried to ask he was brushed aside, they were all far to busy for him.

But Eomer is yet a child and such worrisome thoughts do not easily stay in the mind of the young. He is far too busy hoping and praying for a baby brother.

_A brother_ _would be such fun!_ Thinks Eomer excitedly. With a brother he would have someone to play with, a friend and companion. Someone to help speed the long winter through its harsh course of indoor boredom until summer when they made the yearly trip to Meduseld. What times they would have with Theodred, playing pranks on the servants and creepy Grima Wormtongue. They could all train together and ride horses and become true riders of Rohan!

All these fantasies are spinning through Eomer's mind as he reaches the door of his parent's room. He hears someone, the midwife he thinks, say that it is the last time and his father speaks some encouraging words and then, the most terrifying sound small Eomer's ears had ever heard.

His mother let out a scream of pain.

Suddenly she stops and a noisy, obnoxious kind of sound takes over the empty space left by the scream. Crying, a baby's crying. Listening carefully Eomer can hear his mother's heavy breathing, she is alright. There is a flurry of movement in the room, sounds identifying themselves to Eomer as steps and the rustling of cloth, and still the baby's crying. Then the midwife announces three terribly, awful, wretched words.

"It's a girl!"

There is a big sigh throughout the room as if this was a relief. _A girl!? _Thinks Eomer bitterly, _what am I supposed to do with a _girl?

Eomer goes back to his room, all the thrill and adrenaline suddenly worn off and he has no desire to sneak about. He all but stomps the length of the hall to get to his room. _Besides everyone's distracted by that stupid little _girl. Eomer tells himself, angry with his bad fortune.

He climbs back into his bed and pulls his blankets around himself. He tries to go back to sleep, but finds he cannot because of the crying. As he lays there trying to plug his ears with his pillow he wonders how such a tiny thing can make so much noise.

------*------

The morning dawns on the home of Eomund of Eastfold, but very few awake to greet it. Most everyone has been up through the night, helping with the birthing of Theodwyn's second child. A baby girl named Eowyn. Of course those who were not needed for the birthing process and had gone to sleep were also tired from being awoken by not only the screams of the child but also of those who were celebrating its birth.

Eomer was not so joyful as those. He had forsaken trying to sleep and stood on a small balcony, looking over the great plains of Rohan, seeing the first signs of Autumn beginning to appear in the few trees surrounding his home. The heat of summer was slowly giving way to the cool of fall and eventually the frigid temperatures of winter in the Mark.

But, even with these gentle reminders that winter would soon be upon them, the sight is a peaceful and calming one. Unfortunately Eomer is having a difficult time enjoying the view. His thoughts swirl with the great disappointment of having such a long and hopeful wait end in such tragedy.

He lets out a frustrated sigh and picks up a small stone lying near his feet and sends it flying into the air. It lands on the roof of a far building and Eomer feels worse for it because that was not where he was aiming. He remembers his mothers admonishing words telling him to control his temper, warning him of the dangers of letting such things take hold of you.

So he takes a deep, slow breath. He carefully closes his eyes and tries to think of a brighter side to things.

But, though he tried hard, he cannot see an advantage to this situation. He lets another rock fly out over the roofs.

"Eomer! I've been looking all over for you!" Eomer turns and sees his father step onto the balcony. "The baby was born late last night. It's wonderful, son. You must come and meet your new baby sister!"

Eomer stares at him dubiously. Surely his own father could see how truly awful it was that such a thing had come into the world? But Eomer could tell from the way his father smiled so brightly and happily, ready to lead Eomer to meet his new sibling, that it is not so.

His father is waiting for him to follow and turns back when he sees that his son is not behind him. "Eomer, come, it is time to meet your sister." his father tells him, in a more serious tone. Eomer looks at his father, wishing to keep him happy, but despising the idea of meeting the newest member of his family.

"No."

"Excuse me?" Eomund is surprised and a bit confused at his son's less than joyous response.

"I don't want to see that stupid, little girl. Ever. Never ever ever!" Eomer does not shout, knowing that would beyond a doubt get him a whipping and is hoping that his words alone will not do so.

"I see." his father says after and agonizingly long silence. "If that is how you feel about it. I will not force this upon you." Then he turns and leaves.

Eomer is pleasantly surprised, no punishment. Nothing! But, thinking of the hurt look on his father's face, Eomer feels a strong pang of guilt. He considers following and going to see the stupid baby, just to cheer up his father, when he thinks of something. It was the baby's fault in the first place! If it had just been a boy, he wouldn't have this problem.

So Eomer stoutly refuses to see the baby all day.

-----*-----

But at night his firm resolution cracks.

It has been a long day, everyone has been busy, now with taking care of the baby and her mother and going about their daily work, everyone is sound asleep. Even Eowyn, much to everyone's surprise. Some how she has been rocked to sleep, and the entire house is taking that time to get some much needed sleep, no one knew when that chance might come again.

Eomer is tossing and turning, though. The thoughts of how he had hurt both his father and his mother by not seeing the baby refused to leave him now. When their disappointment (and perhaps some of his own curiosity) threatened to choke him with it's fierceness he gave in.

Throwing the blankets of himself he gently hoped to the floor. Carefully opening the door he begins to sneak down the hallway for the second night in a row. This time, though, he does not stop at his parent's door, he goes through. The door is old and likes to creak, so Eomer takes awhile to get through, making sure not to wake his parents with any sudden noise.

Both his parents lay exhausted on the bed, deep in the hands of sleep. He walks a little more confidently and quickly, knowing that it would take much more than a loose floorboard to wake his parents from their slumber now.

Walking softly to the crib (one he recognized as his own from a few years ago) he carefully peeks his head over the edge, standing on his toes to get a good look through the bars.

What he saw there surprised him. It was a small bundle, wrapped tightly in warm cloth and sleeping rather peacefully. Now Eomer had never seen a baby before this so he had a brief hopeful thought that this was not a girl at all, but that they had made a mistake. It did not look much like a girl, no long, carefully maintained hair came from it's head. In fact it was nearly bald. The only hair was a very light blonde that could only just be seen in the moonlight that lit the room.

_It doesn't look much like those annoying girls that are always sitting around, embroidering and sewing and gossiping._ Eomer thinks hopefully, but then remembers the sureness of his father and how many people had told him of his baby sister. Surely a mistake would have been caught by now.

Eomer lets out a defeated sigh and prepares to leave the room, but freezes when the babe's eyes flutter open, horrified by the thought that she will start crying and get him into trouble for waking her, that would be just like a girl.

But she doesn't cry. She smiles, blinking her sleep blurred eyes, still mostly asleep herself. She looks up at Eomer and smiles some more. He steps back to the crib, pulling himself up by the bars and looks down once more at his now awake sister.

_She looks as if she knows me._ he thinks, wondering at her sure stare into his eyes. She wiggles about a bit and loosens the cloth around her enough to get one arm out. She holds up her hand and slowly, as if unsure, reaches out to him and gently uncurls her fist, offering him her hand.

He marvels at the size of it, the tiny fingers groping the air, looking for something to hold onto. His arm just fits through the bars of the crib and he places his index finger in her palm, which is all that can fit into it. She hold on to it tightly, surprising her brother with her strength, griping onto his finger and unwilling to release it. Still she smiles at him, but her smile is more content now.

Still wondering at her strength, Eomer entertains a sudden notion. The thought begins to grow and over take his imagination. Suppose there was hope for her? Perhaps she could run and play with him and Theodred? Could she learn to ride and fight and work with? Could a little sister be the friend he so wanted?

Slowly hope rises up inside him, and that hope grew stronger as he stood there, his arm tiring, but Eowyn would still not let it go. As she drifted back to sleep he gently pried his finger from her hand and pulled his arm out of the crib.

As he looked at her sleeping face one last time he was struck by as sudden thought. It was a thought of the future, something that seemed so real, so true, it was almost a vision.

"You will be great one day, sister." he whispers softly to her. "Together we will survive much and you will be as great as our forefathers and you will make us all proud."

After that he withdrew, all his hopes and a confidence in the future that he would lose when he grew older and the memories of childhood left him, he left the room. Only to return the next day in the morning.

After that night, much to the surprise and wonder of his parents, he was with his sister as much as he could be. Teaching her everything he knew even when she was to small to understand. Helping her learn when she grew old enough to experience the lessons for herself.

-----*-----

I've always loved the big brother/little sister relationship between Eomer and Eowyn, so when the thought for this story nagged my mind I just had to write it. Hope you liked it, drop me a review and let me know what you think!

~BBear


	2. Chapter 2

"Why can't Eowyn practice outside with me momma?"

Theodwyn jumps at the sudden voice so very near her head. She nearly lets out a sigh of exasperation, but holds it in. Once this never would have happened to her; before having a third person to always be worrying about she had been constantly alert and prepared for anything. But now sitting in Eomund's study, having a quiet moment to herself is such a blessing that she had actually fallen asleep reading on the soft couch beside the fire.

"Because, Eomer," she begins, fighting down the urge to snap at him for asking the same question over and over again; he was only five after all, "Your sister is barely a year old, she is still learning to walk on her own. She can't go running in the fields, she'd get lost!" Really, she'd explained this so many times before, but he seemed resolute to be allowed to take his sister outside to play with him. Or, as he put it, to "practice" swordsmanship with sticks.

"I'd watch out for her, I promise!" Eomer pleads, a desperate look on his face, attempting to use all of his cuteness in the hopes it would help his cause.

Theodwyn raises an eyebrow. "Like you 'watched out' for her during Yule at Meduseld last winter?"

Eomer looks at his feet sheepishly, "It was an accident. Theodred asked me to hold his pony for a minute, I didn't know she would try to go down the stairs." Theodwyn sighs and runs a hand over her face. She is so tired. Orcs had been gathering more and more on the edges of Eastfold and seemed to be getting braver, going farther into the fields and villages of Eastfold, which meant Eomund was spending more time away from home and in danger, which did nothing for Theodwyn's nerves and left her on her own to watch out for both adventurous children.

"I know." she says gently to her embarrassed and apologetic son, giving him a smile and pulling him up beside her on the couch, "But accidents happen and they are even more dangerous for one so small as Eowyn. And the wind is turning cold, we must make sure she does not get sick. Do you remember when you were sick last year?" Eomer nods his head solemnly, and Theodwyn gives him a significant look, "Do you want Eowyn to go through that?"

Eomer shakes his head vehemently. "No!" he cries out.

"Good." Theodwyn is glad that, at least, has made an impression. For Eowyn to get sick so young would be devastating, and most likely fatal. "Then you shall have to be patient. When she is older Eowyn will get sick and hurt less easily and she will be able to run and play with you, but until then you're either going to have to be content playing by yourself or you'll have to play somewhere safer with your sister."

Eomer sighs, obviously not liking his two options. "Yes, mother." he hops off the couch and the floor squeaks beneath him as he walk out the door. Theodwyn lets out a breathe of air, praying that would be the end of the subject for a while and turns back to her book. Not a moment later Eomer sticks his head back through the door.

"Are the stables safer?" he asks honestly.

"No Eomer!" Theodwyn snaps finally and Eomer scampers out of the room, racing down the hall until she can no longer hear his feet on the creaking floors. She is halfway out of her seat, considering whether or not to go after him. She would soon have to oversee the preparation of dinner and the chances of Eomer doing something he was specifically told not to so soon were slim to none.

Theodwyn settles back down on her couch and openes her book. She understands Eomer's loneliness; most of the other children in in their home were only a few years older than him, but enough that it made him too small to join their games, and being so closely related to the king made yet another barrier between Eomer and the other children, one he did not yet understand. But soon enough Eomer would begin his training to become a Rider of Rohan and that would take up enough of his time that he would no longer worry about playing Eowyn. And though Theodwyn knows that something could easily go very wrong during Eomer's games with his sister, she also knows that it is important for them to bond while they can.

_Yes, _she thinks to herself, _let them have a little time together before the world pushes them apart. _And she cannot help but think about all the times she had never spent with her own brother before he had become too busy with kingly studies and she with the studies of court ladies. She would never wish that fate on her own children, but she knows that it is inevitable and she sighs, hoping they will retain some of their closeness as they grow older and that Eomer would always be so concerned with his sister's safety.

It is several hours before Theodwyn goes searching for her son, a hint of worry beginning to form in the back of her mind and growing quickly. Eomer was never late for dinner. He missed lessons and bedtimes, but never meals. The bell had rung nearly half an hour ago, but Eomer has yet to appear in the meal hall. The older children he usually followed around have not seen him all afternoon and neither have any of his instructors. He is not in the fields or the main hall; his usual play spots.

Theodwyn rushed past halls filled with elaborate tapestries depicting her husband's family history, not sparing them a glance, filled only with the thought of getting to her son's room, praying to all the gods she could think of that he was sitting in his room, just playing, with nothing horribly wrong.

She sees Brenna, Eowyn's nurse, a young lady and a blessing to Theodwyn in these hard times, down the hall and calls out to the maiden.

"Brenna, have you seen Eomer?" her voice is slightly breathless and rather undignified, but worry is slowly taking over her mind. Brenna seems to take no mind of Theodwyn's sorry state and smiles brightly.

"Oh! My lady, I was just coming to find you. You _must_ see this. It is simply the most precious thing!" Brenna is so happy and bubbly and utterly unaware of Theodwyn's plight that Theodwyn is momentarily confused. And as Brenna walks back the way towards the bed chambers, Theodwyn takes a moment to catch her breath and stare in wonder at the bright spirited girl before her, who has yet to realize her mistress is not following her.

"Brenna!" This stops her, finally, "Have you seen Eomer?" Theodwyn asks slowly, pointedly, and Brenna finally takes notice of the worry on the older woman's face.

"Apologies, my lady!" Brenna cries out in utter horror at her inconsiderate chatter, "I hadn't meant to frighten you. I was just talking about him, you simply have to see them together, it's just adorable." This catches Theodwyn's curiosity and now they are both walking towards what Theodwyn is sure is Eomer's bed chamber. Brenna rambles on, "He just came up to me and was begging to be allowed to play with Eowyn, and I know you said not to let them play together, but he promised that he had a safe spot all made up and he sounded rather sure of himself, so I let him show me and it was just perfect, really so sweet, I mean, you just have to see it!"

Theodwyn shakes her head, the girl talks so fast it is hard to keep up. "Brenna, are you telling me that both of my children are safe?"

Brenna looks surprised, "Of course ma'am, but" she pauses and opens what Theodwyn just now recognizes as the door to Eomer's bed chamber, "Just look for yourself."

Theodwyn hears them before she sees them. Eomer is talking animatedly to his sister about something he has seen earlier today and Eowyn is giggling happily. Both sound excited and, more importantly, _safe_.

"They were both poised, ready for the fight, when Hama struck, like a snake!" Eomer's small voice dances through the air, filled with exhilaration in telling the story. Theodwyn peaks her head farther into the room and sees what is possibly the most comforting and adorable scene she has ever laid eyes on.

In the middle of the floor of Eomer's bed chamber is a large nest made of blankets and pillows in a neat circle. The cushioning has been stacked a good two feet high around the edges, more than enough to keep a baby from crawling out, creating a perfect enclosure. It is close to five or six feet in diameter and the floor is lined with a carpeting of thick winter blankets. Eowyn is sitting on a small bed made of a pillow and her favorite baby blanket, intently watching her brother perform, laughing and clapping at his antics while he acts out whatever he had seen on the training grounds earlier.

Eomer himself takes up most of the nest as he enthusiastically acts out the scene, every inch of him is swept up in the telling of the story and he does not notice his mother behind him. "He swung his sword in a killing blow, but the other man blocked it just in time!" Eomer acts out both of these, his arms moving in swift motions, waving a stick that Theodwyn assumes he is using as a sword, to depict the actions of men he saw.

Theodwyn bites back a small laugh, not wanting to interrupt the tale. It really is, as Brenna had claimed, the sweetest thing she has seen in a long time. Theodwyn smiles and leans against the doorframe, enjoying the show. She knows she will have to scold Eomer for taking what looked like every blanket that could be found in the hall and possibly even the stables, as well as for being in the training grounds when he should have been at lessons, but she can't bring herself to break this perfect moment, only desiring to watch. She cannot believe the lengths Eomer has gone to be able to play with his sister and allows herself to hope, just for a moment, that perhaps the loving bond between Eomer and Eowyn will carry through adolescence and survive long into adulthood, unlike the bond between Theoden and Theodwyn which had faded 'ere it began.

_Well_, Theodwyn thinks to herself, _I suppose it never hurt anyone to have a little hope._

* * *

_There you have it. I always meant to add more to this, but inspiration just never came. Thankfully having your wisdom teeth out gives you LOTS of time to find inspiration and the need for better excuses to procrastinate on your homework. Leave me a review and let me know how this one matches up with the other one, I would like to add a couple more of them when the kids are a bit older, but I want the writing to match up. Thanks for reading!_

_~BBear_


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